Improvement in check-registers



UNITED ST TEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER STEWART AND LOUIS VON HOVEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHECK-REGISTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 90,988, dated May 22, 1877; application tiled I August 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER STEW- ART and LOUIS VoN HOVEN, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful I mprovement in Check-Registers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description of the nature thereof, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which our invention appertains to fully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is afront view of the device embodying our invention. Fig. 2is a transverse vertical section in line at m, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Our invention consists of a check or ticket 'box with a plunger or lever which releases each check or ticket separately, and simultaneously registers each check or ticket so released by a counterpart check or ticket.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a box or casing, in which at one portion are a series of upright receptacles, B, for the several denominations of checks that may be employed in the restaurant, or otherplace of service of the register.

At the front and rear of each receptacle, at the base thereof, there are horizontal outlets a a, the dimensions of which are equal to those of the checks to be employed, and in the base of each receptacle there is an upright passage, b, into which projects a lug, O, secured to or formed with a push-rod, D, which is fitted in the walls of the casing A below the horizontal outlets on a, there beinga push-rod for each receptacle B, the several rods projecting preferably in front of the casing A, so as to be conveniently accessible.

In the casing A, below the rod D, there are located drawers E, one drawer for each receptaele B, and the drawers may be made to be moved in and out as one, or separately, and they will be provided with lock and key under the control of the proprietor of the establishment wherein the register is employed.

In the casing A, at the rear of the receptaeles B, there is mounted a rock-shaft, F, from which depend arms G, whose lower ends are in contact with the inner end of the push-rod I), and to said shaft F is connected an arm,

H, which actuates the hammer J of a hell or gong, K, properly secured in the casing.

In order to return the hammer-arm H, the arms G, and consequently the push-rod, to their normal positions, we employ a spring, L, which will be connected to the rock-shaft F and a suitable portion of the casing A, and its action will be common to the hammer-arm and push-rod.

The checks will be placed in the receptacles B, and the lid closed and secured.

When the waiter wishes a check he forces in the push-rod that has marked on its knob or head the desired number or amount. The lug 0 carried by the rod moves in the passage b, and coming into contact with the bottom check forces it rearward through the rear outlet a, so that it will drop into its re: spective drawer. The pushrod is then released, and the next check which has been let down is caught by the lug on its return motion, and is ejected through the front outlet a, so that it may be taken by the waiter for presentation or delivery to the customer. Meanwhile the gong will be sounded, thus indicating the operation of the register.

It will be noticed that two checks of the same characteristic or amount have been removed from the respective receptacles, but one of them has dropped into the drawer under control of the proprietor, and the other has been delivered to the customer, who will return it to the proprietor when he settles the amount due, thus providing a tally or register, since every check removed will have its counterpart or register in the drawer of the casing.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letthers Patent, is

A box, having a plunger or lever, in combination with a check or ticket receptacle having outlets on opposite sides, and a passage for an engaging portion of the plunger or lever, whereby each check or ticket released will be registered by a counterpart check or ticket, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

A. STEWART. LOUIS VON HOVEN.

Witnesses:

H. E. HINDMARSH, JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM. 

